Airplane



Dec. s, 1931. G.- H. BOWLUS 1,835,630-

' AIRPLANE Filevd Jan. 13, 1930 20 /8 [4109]. Z6 Y Z6. 22 2/ A from/Ex Patented Dec. 8, 1931 UNITED STATES GLENNH. BOWLUS, F ALHAMBRA, CALIFORNIA .AIRILANE Application led `January 13, 1930. SerialANo. 420,466.

My invention relates to airplanes inwhich the wings thereof are movable relative to the body structure and 'are used both to sustain and propel the airplane; A

It is well known in the aeronautical art that when an aerofoil wing is moved through the air, a negative pressure is developed on the upper surface of the wing and a positive pressure is developed on the lower surface thereof. The difference in these pressures produces an upward force which is used to sustainthe airplane in the air. VItis further known that by movingrthe wing A'up and down relative to the body structure, and by inclining it upward during an upward movement thereof, and inclining it downward during a downward movement thereof, the sustaining force will have a forward,'hori zontal component which will propel the airplane through the air.

Several devices have been devised to accomplish this movement of the wing. Such devices have moved the wing relative to the body member with a rotary motion and this has made necessary the use of a cumbersome rotating element which is secured to the body structure for imparting the necessary motion to the wing.

It is an object of my invention to provide an airplane in which the wing thereof is moved up and down along a straight path relative to the body structure and is inclined relative to the body structure at the same time so that the wing will both sustain and propel the airplane. Y

Another object is to provide an airplane of the above class in which the wing is guided along a straight path by a guide means during the up and down movement thereof.

A further object is to provide an airplane of the above class in which the necessary motion of the wing is secured by a crank means carried by thebodystructure.

It is also an object to provide an airplane of the above class in which the crank means is connected to the wing in such a manner that only one crank is'neededboth to move and impart the proper inclination to the wing. Further objects will be made evident in CII the following description of a preferred form of my invention.

In the drawings: n

Fig. 1 is a partial sectioned view showing the operating means of my invention applied to an airplane. l f

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the airplane shown in Fig. 1.

Figs. 3 and 4 are diagrammatic views showing the operation of my invention. :i e0

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, I show an airplane 11 with which the operating means of my invention finds lparticular utility. The airplane 11 mayl have a conventional bod structure 12 below which is attached a lan 65 ing gear 13, and to the forward end of whichy is secured a suitable motor 14. Secured to the upper side of the body structure 12 are upright guides 18 which are connected at the upper ends thereof by tie bars19, thusforming a vertical frame structure 20. Slidable on the guides 18 are followers 21 which are tied together by horizontal members 22 and to form a reciprocable frame 23. The vertical frame structure 20 constitutes guide 75 means for the recip-rocable frame 23.

' Pivoted to the frame 23 on pivots 26 isa wing k27' which has a central opening 28 through which the guides 18 extend. The wing 27 is thus made movable upward and 80 downward relative to the body structure 12, and isguided in its upward and downward movement by the guides 18. The wing 27 is also pivoted to the frame 23 so that it may be inclined during itsupward yand down- S5 ward movement in order that the sustaining force produced by a movement of the wing 27 through the air will have a forward, horizontal component for propelling the airplane 11. In order to move the wing 27 ,an arm 30 is pivoted at its upper end to the frame 23 and is pivoted at its lower end to a crank 31 secured to a slow speed shaft 32 of a gear reducer 34. The gear reduceri34 is mounted 95 on a part of the body structure 12 and has a high speed shaft 35 thereof'driven by the motor 14. Pivoted also to the crank 31 are the lower ends of arms 38, the upper ends thereof being pivoted to the wing 27. A

Secured between the frame 23 and the body structure 12 is a resilient member 40 which may be made of anysuitable material such as rubber bands. The resilient member counteracts the lifting force between the wing 27 and the body structure 12 so that a more constant load is .placed on motorll.

As clearlyfshown ,5in Fig..3, when thenno'tor 14 rotates the high speed shaft 35 of the gear reducer 34, the crank 31rotates and reciprocates the arms 3() and 38. ilh'earmdibeing secured to the frame 23, moves the frame 23 up and down on the guides 13 with substantially harmonic motion. Due to the wing 27.

being pivoted to the fra1ne'23, the portion' ofl .the 27adjacent the pivots .26 .is moved with the same motion, Zand .this .portion-'o-f the wine' 27 is 'therefore moved .upwardand downward .relative :te `the frame .structure 12. ...The wing .27 is not .inclined zat .the same angle relative to the frame structure12 at all .times .during its :upward and. downward movement, Abut its inclination is varied by means of ther-arm. Theaction-of the arm 38 in varying .the-inclination fof ythey wijng 27 can best .beunderstood by.consideringthataghe farms..3.0,and38z.are in substantially the .sa-me .fixed relationship .relative Ito each otherduring their .upm/ardenti .downward movement. .The :arms .30 .and -381can .therefore be .consid- .eredascformingtwo sides of-a triangle, .the .third .side .of which .is .formed .by -a :line .50., as shown l.in which :line oins .the .upper .ends .of 4the arms .30 fand 38. .-llt will,1.therefor.e,b.e,ewident .that ns ithe .arms .301:andi38 are .inclined relative-to the'body structure 12,due

fcrank.

.to the y.rotation .of the vcrank 3l, the line .50 --he .inclined proportionately. `Since .the motion {of the .upper .end .of the arm 30 is `transmitted .to Athe .wing27 `by `the 1pivots :26, a line 5l dining thepivots .to .the .upper .end .of ithe .arms .3.8 will also .be zinclined .as fthe rcranlr:3.1,rotates.

As clearlyshown in. Fig. d, this .produces an finclination `offthe .wing'27 Awhich .variessynchrononsly with .the .upward .and downward fmovement thereof, .the .transverse axis .of `the .wing27 being inclined dolwnwardlyduring a .downward .movement .off the wing, :and ,being inclined .upwardly .duri ng .an upward move- -mentthere of. 'This .isrthe movement. required .for .successful .flight by reciprocating wing alircraift,.as .is well known in .the :aeronautical art, and the Ywing .27 .is .therefore .capable Aof both sustainingV and propelling Lthe airplane 111.

. Itshou'ldbenoted thatthe .winge27isguid- .edlby the guides .18lin the upwardanddown- .ward movement thereof, and tha-tit .moves roxlerasubstantiallv,straightpath. ltshould .also be .noted .that vfthe necessary iup-ward and downward .movement and the inclination 'of .the wing .are .accomplished ,with "only .one

i 'The relationship the points of vattachment of the upper ends of the arms 30 and 38 is another important feature of my invention. It will be found that as the position of the point of attachment of the upper end of the arm 30 is moved closer to the pivots 26, the amount that the wing 27 inclines duringits npwardand downward movement, increases, and as J#this lpoint is moved mearer the point of attachment of the upper end of the arms 38, the amount of inclination of the wingl27'is'deoreased. Thus it is possible to vary the amount of inclination of the. wing 27 Lby varying the position of the point at which .the arm 3.0.is secured to the frame 22. The amount of 'inclination of the wing 27 una-y :also be varied. 4fby varying `the .position :at which the :arms l38 :are :secured to fthe wing :.27, but Aitlis .-more convenient to vary the point of att'achmentfof the anni 30.

. .l claim .as my invention.:

za bod-y'rstructure; :a Ywing movable upward :and :downwardfalong ra fixed path relative to :said rbod-y.zstructure and :inclinable 'relative Lto :said (bod-y structure; crank 'means :carried by Isaid :body structure; and :means connecting said crank aneansfand said wing for fmovi-ng :said lwing Aupward and downward :and `for finclifning :said wing fduring 7'the .upward and fdownward movement thereof..

2. fnaflying machine,the combinationfof: 'a ytbody structure; .a nnovable wing; fguide means'carried by said body structure; :aslid- .able member slguidable on said guide means.; means for pivoting said wing to-saidslidable member.; Jcrank 4means carried lby said fbody structure;l 1an farm .connecting ssaid crank fmeans fand said -slidable member ffor fmoving said `wing upward and downward-g and :an -arm fcomrecting said crank .means vand said .wing #for finclining said wing during the .up- -Wa-rd vand :down-ward zm'ovement thereof.

3. In a flying machine, the'combination olf: -a body ystructure-5 `a movable Wing; guide means carried 'bysaid body structure 1 a slid- 7able member slidable on said guide means; means for pivoting said Wing to said s'lidable member about a vprimary point; crank means -carriedby said body structure; -an-armpiv .oted to said crank meansabout a secondary ,point and operatively.connectedto said wing at said'primary point; and anarm pivotedto said crank means about said secondary .point and connectedto said wing at a tertiary point, said tertiary point forming a triangle .with said yprimary and. secondary points. v

4. In a'flying machine, the combination of i' va body; a vertical frame structure on said bo'dy.; a AJfollower Yslidab'le along said frame structure; .a wing pivoted to said follower so .as to move ,upwardand downward therewith;

' Vanddrive means :forboth .moving said .fol-

flower `and oscillating .said .wing ,about vthe pivot point between said follower and said wing.

5. In a flying machine, the combination of: a body; a wing movable up and down relative to said body; a vertical frame structure secured to said body; a follower adapted for reciprocation on said frame structure, said wing being pivoted to said follower; and drive means for reciprocating said follower on said frame structure so that said wing is moved up and down and oscillated about a point between said follower and said wing.

6. In a flying machine, the combination of: a body; a vertical frame connected to and extending upwardly from said body; a follower member slidably mounted on said frame; a wing pivoted adjacent one end to said follower member; drive means for ac tuating said wing up and down on said frame; and link means connecting said follower member and said drive means for moving said wing up and down and oscillating it during said up and down movement.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles, California, this 8th day of January, 1930.

' GLENN H. BOWLUS. 

